Furnace-retort



c. wsmnu. FURNACE mom.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1919. v

Patented M1225, E22,

SHtEISSHEET 1.

VENTOR A TTOHIKE Yd? C. H.- SMITH.

FURNACE RETORT.

A-FPLICATION FILED APR. 24, I919- a Patented Apr, 25, 1922.

A TTURNEKS C. H. SMITH.

FURNACE RETDRT,

APPLlCA lOM FILED APR.24. 1919.

Patented Apr. 25, 1922.

.a sumssnm a.

INVENTOI? ATTORNEYS c. H. SMITH.

FURNACE RETORT,

APPLICATION- FILED APR-24,1919.

Pat=ented Apr. 25, 1922.

6 SHEEFS-SHEET 6.

New Jersey,

CHARLES HOWARD S ITH, or srronr HILLS, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORTO marinara-TIONAL COAL rnonoors odaroaacrrron, or RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, A oo'Itroa'A-TION or VIRGINIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 24, 1919I, Seria1 No. 292,4 QQ. H I

T 0 all whom itmag concern: Be it known that I, CHARLES H.1Str1'rm acitizen of the United States, and a-resident of Short Hills, countyof-Essex,

have invented certain new and State of and useful Improvements inFurnace-Retort's, of

which the following is a specification.

The present invention has as its basis a furnace-retort which in somerespects may be considered a modification of or an improvement upon thefurnaceretort'that is the basis of my co-pending application Serial No.217,76 i, filed February 18, 1918, entitled Furnace-rctorts. i

In the furnace-retort shown in the drawings of said application theretort is defined in a main wall construction which includes what isdescribed as (a) an inner wall por hon-frequently referred to as ahorizontally extending tubular inner wall construction or retortshell-within the wall of which or about which walls are combustion timesthat extend along the mner wall portion of the retort; (b)

a v relatively heavy construc.

tion of fire-brick that provides an intermediate wall or strengtheningmasonry wall construction about the inner wall. portion and whichintermediate or strengthening wall also performs t he function ofstoring heat transmitted to it from the flues constituting thecombustion chamber of the furnace; and

(c) an outer masonry commercially known construction of brick SIgurbrick that serves as a layer of heat insulating, material about theintermediate wall. remarked that Signr brick is It will here be a tradename for a brick comprising largely, it not wholly, diatomaceous earth.This material is sometimes sold under the trade name fSilocel.

Such brick can be made by grinding said material, by pressing,

and by baking, or the de sired heat insulating brick may be obtained insome localities by cuttlng the brick from solid rock-somet1mes as mined.

The furnace-retort shown in the drawings of said application isalscprOvided'with a mixing; and conveying means haying a pair ofparallel cooperating shafts'with paddles thereupon arranged so that thepaddles on one shaft overlap the I I shaft. This mixing and conveyingmeans, as the name implies,

agitate the mat also to convey paddles on the other is relied upon tomix or erial within the retort and the material from what 1sreunites-Reroute.

mama Apr. 25, 192 2.

known as the 'chargingend ofthe retort, to

what'is known as thefldischarging end.

The furnace-retort which is the basis or, v

as entering the combustion fiues at the charging end of the retort Iand.v the products of combustr n as leavingthe fiues at the dischargingend of the retort.

"In the furnace-retort .which is the'basis of the present invention thecombustion fluesare constructedso thateach flue extendsonly about halfthe length of the furnaceand the lines are arranged in sets, one set atand along thecharging end portion or changing end half of the inner wallotthe furnace retort and the other set at and along the'discharging endPOIUOIlor discharging end half.

Fuel is supplied to the tin-cs which are at or alongthe charging end oithe retort, preferably at the outermost end of'each fine,

to wit, the flue end at the charging end'of'the furnace and fuel issupplied to the tines which are at or along the discharging end of theretort, preferably'at the outermost end oi each flue,. to wit, the flueend at the dis charging cnd of the furnace. The products otcbmbustionpass from the innermost end of each. flue, to wit the end at or adjacentto the transversely extending central portion.

whichis about the inner'wall construction and pass into a common flue-ortines leading from said central portion. Eachindividual combustion fineis preferably-- provided with a damper for controlling the flow ofproducts of combustion therefrom to the main or com- Bythis arrangementand control ofthe combustion flues a finer degree mon fiue or flues;

of regulation of the heat conditions within the furnace-retort isattainable than is the case Where the combustion flues extend the fulllength of the inner wall ofthe retort. .v

The invention relates to the novel features of construction referred toas -well as to others hereinafter clearly set, forth.

As illustrating a.specific embodiment of the'invention reference is madeto the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and nwhich drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal view, insection, of thefurnace-retort. This" is a view taken as on the planes indicated by thebroken lines 1-1 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional 'view of the furnace-retort.This is a view taken as OI 'the'planes indicated by the broken line 22of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. 1

Figure 3 is a horizontal longitudinal sec tional view of thefurnace-retort and is a view taken as on the planes indicated'by thebroken line 3-3 of Figure 2." looking in the direction of the arrows. InFigure 2 the furnace-retort is shown as resting upon a suitablefoundation and from Figures 1, 2 and 3 it will be seen that thefurnacethe retort and the other at the discharging; end portion or half,which combustion flues constitute the combustion chamber of the furnaceof the furnace-retort, and that these two sets of combustion fluesdeliver their products of combustion into transversely extending wastegas or waste heat flues located about the central portion of thefurnaceretort and fromwhichthe-waste gases are conducted to any desiredplace, as, for example, to recuperators, to regenerators, or to a'stack.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of thefurnace-retortandis a view taken as on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure -1looking in the direction of the arrows. This view has been included toillustrate the arrangement of the longitudinally extending combustionflues and burner openings therefor at the charging end of the furnace.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the furnace-retorttaken as on the plane indicated by the line 5--5 of Figure 1 looking inthe direction of the arrows. This view has been included to show thedampers which control the flow of the products of combustion from theflues-of one set of combustion flues into the waste heat fluecorresponding thereto.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional'view of the furnace-retort taken as onthe plane indicated by the line 6-.6 of Figure 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

s'hows the arrangement of the burner openings at the discharging end ofthe furnace.

From Figures 4,15 and 6 tlie'mixin and cpnveying means has beeneliminated, this feature beingsufliciently shown in other figures of thedrawings.

times as the retort shell. .nally extending tubular inner wallconstruction or retort shell 5 is surrounded by a This view lines 7-- 7of Figure 2 lookingin the direc-.'

tion of the arrows. In this view the construction of the dampers. forthe upper half of the furnace between the combustion flues on the onehand and the waste heat flues is clearly illustrated. I

Figure 8 is a view illustrating the structure that provides the severalcombustion flues about the retort. This is a view 'of the structure asit would appear if unrolled and placed upon a flat surface and it may beconsidered as a view .showing the development and arrangement of thesets of flues relative to each other. The upper half of this viewclearly illustrates the flue arrangement and'may be-looked at as aninterior view "of the tubular inner: wall construction or retort shellwhen unrolled,

while the lower half may be considered as,

an interior view from which the retort struction has been removed,showing the intermediate or strengthenin wall which is behind it.

Referring now to the drawings in detail l'designates thefurance-retort,2 the retort proper and 3 the furnace proper thereof, The furance-retortis supported upon suitable foundation, as 4. The retoit2 has an innerwall construction 5, frequently .referred to as a longitudinallyextending tubular inner wall construction and some- Thislongitudimasonry wall 6, frequently referred to as the intermediate wallconstruction and sometimes as the strengthening masonry wall.

It will .here be pointed out that this masonry wall construction 6serves the function of means for storing the heat 1mparted to it as aresult of the combus tion which takes place in longitudinally extendingcombustion flues 7 that .are in or defined by the tubular inner wallconstruction or retort shell 5 on the one hand and the strengtheningmasonry wall construction 6 on the other.

In the construction of furnace as shown there' appears a layer of heatinsulating brick 8'such bricks as are known in the trade Sigur brick orSilocel and this masonry construction is shown as enveloped in ametallic shell 9, the lower half of which is composed of members 10bolted together and theupper half of which is composed of wrought metalplates 11 bolted to each other and also to the members constituting thelower half.' In order to permit, expansion of the masonry structurewithin the shell each 7 of the bolts connecting the sections may beprovided with wood washers, as a, which operate with otherlongitudinally extending construction. between the rib portions 16 thatare on or built-in the masonry strengthening wall construction 6 andfrom air-inspection of the drawings particularly Figures 4e and 5, itwill be observed that the longitudinally extending combustion flues 7,are provided in or defined by the. tubular'inner waltconstruction orretort shellto. on the one-hand and the strengthening masonry Wallconstruction 6 on the other, and particularly tions, as 17 of thetubular inner wall constructiolr-portion'S .at the exterior" of thetubular inner wall construction and'between the longitudinally extendingrib portions lo longitudinally extending rib portions 16,

longitudinally extending 'rib portions lti oi the strengthening wallconstruction ,6 and the interior portions interior of the masonrystrengthening wall longitudinally extending rib portions 16. A centrallylocated transversely extending rib portion or par-ti; tion 19, whichincludes the transversely extending rib portion'ildon thetuhular innerwall construction or retort shell and transversely extending ribportioii .21; on the masonry strengthening wallconstruction, is

located at or near to the CQIItIQL1-v170l'tl0l'l of the furnace; inother words,- n a transverse belt which is at, about or near the centralportion of the furnace.

or extend about the tubular 'struction so as to divide space of thefurnace located at the charging end or charging half of the furnace andat the discharging end of the furnace.

An inspection make it clear that there are located at each side of thecentrally located transversely extending rib portion or partition 19 twotransversely extending waste gas or waste heat fines 22, 23, one locatedat the charging face of the .rib portion or partition 19' and the otherlocated at the discharging face of the rib portion or. partition, butboth. located about the central portion of the furnace. I From Figures1, 7 ands. it will be observed that the combustion lines 7 at thecharging end or haltof the furnace. deliver the products of combustioninto the waste heat flue 22 out that the flow ,of gases from thesecombustion the combustion o'r dischargirrghalf bysuch poi; 'nace. Thedampers for body member lif -portions on p the v flues'to the waste heatflue;

This rib portion or partition 19 may be considered to-encircler innerwall-con:

the other part located ing conducted of the drawings will also enter thecharging end lines into the waste gas or 'tion flue supplied thereby anda'dainper waste heat flue 22 is controlled bydampers in a flue and has alip 26-that may be moved toward or from a rib 27 of the tubular innerwall construction or retort shell by a rod, as 28; sliding the damper 24whereby the opening between the lip 26 on the one hand and the rib 27 onthe other is readily controlled as to its area. The dampers 24 arousedto control the flow from the combustion flues in the lower half. of thefur- I the upper half of the furnacehave been designated as 25 and arein effecfln modification of the dampers 24. Tlib daiirpers 25,'however,each has a main body member 29 supported on spaced longitudinallyextending legs 30 and the 29 carries a transversely extendinglip '31which is movable toward and from the transversely extending rib portion2.7 and the iarea of the passage between the lip 31 on the one hand and,the rib portion 27 on the other is controlled by a movement of thisdamper in a manner similar to that "in which the damper 24 controls thepassageway .ading.t'rom its corresponding A damper, as 24: or 25, isprovided for each combustion flueand it will therefore be seen that theflow of the products of combustion from each combustion fine to thewaste heat flue is under the control of the operator.

The wastelheat tines 22 and 23 pass through the sidewalls of thefurnace-retort, as this portion of the retort wall may be the control ofdampers from the furnace-retort, as to leading to the stack provided tosupply fuel and to permit the entrance of air to the interior of theouter end portion of each combustion flue; in other words, burners areprovided at the. charging end of the furnace for supplying gas to andpermitting air to portion of the lines or half of the furthe: main IflueA gas burner is at the charging portioh nace and burnersare provided atthe vdischarging end of the furnace for supplying gas to and permittingair to enter the discharging end portion of the fines at the discharging portion or half of: the: furnace.

Those burners are designated. as by '34 and 35, andfeach comprises atube for supplying heatinggas to the interior of the combusreferred to,as is clear from Figures 2 and intotwo parts, one part EBfand the flowfrom each'of the waste heat flu'es is subje(-.t to '32 prior to theproducts of combustion bepointed out for regulating the flow of air,that supports combustion, into the flue.

In furnaces of this type it has been found important to be able tocontrol the heat conditions about each portion of the shell. Forexample, it may be desired, as the furnace is operating, to impart agreater heat to the lower side portions of the charging end and a lesserheat to certain portions of the discharging end. It may even be desiredto cut off the heat along the entire upper half of the shell or onlyalong one end of the upper half of the shell. With the burners, the

flue arrangements and dampers herein de-,

scribed the desired condition can be'read-ily reached.

The gases and vapors driven off during the carbonizing operation are'withdrawn throughpipin 36. In the drawings in this 'applicatlon on yone set of piping has been indicated but a plurality of piping might beemployed, if desired, such as shown in my co-pending application SerialNo. 217,764.

The upper half of the tubular retort shell is in the form of an arch,being formed as such by the hollow tiles or blocks as 13 havas 15. Ithas been heretofore that the ribs 15 which extend outwardly co-operatewith the rib portions 16 which extend inwardly that are on or built inthe masonry strengthening wall coning the ribs struction. to wit; themasonry immediately surrounding the inner wall construction. On thedrawings, there are indicated in several places expansion'spaces as 37which as the name implies have been provided to allow for thecircumferential expansionof the inner wall construction or retort shell,and

it will here be remarked that where the inner construction is formed ofa carborundum tileor in fact of other 'material-and the immediatelysurrounding wall is of masonry such as'fire brick that it has been foundadvisable to have. the expansion spaces placed as indicated.

In the construction as shown the lower I half of the tubular inner Wallconstruction (or retort sh'ell supports the upperhalf, to

wit, the arch portion and consequently the members of the lower halfrest directly upon the surrounding masonry construction which is belowit.

In order to provide for circumferential expansion in the lower half .anexpansion space is provided as at 38, that is between the two rowsofblocfks along, the lower longitudinal central portion. In the buildingof the furnace this space 38 may be filled with material such as sheetsof cardboard which can gradually carbonize and allow for the desiredexpansion. This cardboard can be relied upon to hpld or maintain theadjacent blocks in the proper spaced relationship during theconstructing of the furnace.

No attempt is herein made to describe in stanclin detail the operationof'the furnace or the detailed construction of the mixing and conveyingmeans, or other details in the furnace, all such details being clearfrom the accompanying drawings and from an underof the structure shownand described 1n the aforesaid co-pending application.

-What is claimed is:-

1. A furnace-retort having a longitudinally extending retort shellwithin which ue arranged to receive from the flue in the set in whichthe combustion flue is included.

2. A furnace-retort having a longitudinally extending retort shellwithin which a carbonizing or coal distilling operation is performed,said furnace-retort also having means for mixing the charge within theretort shell and for conveying the charge longitudinally from thecharging end of the retort shellto the discharging end thereof, thefurnace-retort 'bein characterized by two sets of combustion uesarranged about the lower portion of the retort shell and deliveringproducts of combustion into a centrally arranged waste heat flueconstruction, each flue in each set extending longitudinally from an'end portion of the retort shell toward the centrally arranged wasteheat flue, each flue in the other set extending along the dischargingend of the retort shell and terminating about midway the length of theretort shell.

3. A furnace-retort having a longitudinally extending retort shellportion. in which retort there is means for agitating or mixing thecharge and for conveyingthe charge along the interior from the chargingend to the discharging end thereof, the combustion chamber of thefurnace of "the furnace-retortcomprising longitudinally extendingcombustion flues about the shell portion, which combustion flues arearranged in' sets one set at the charging end of the retort and theother set at the discharging 125 outer end portions of the combustionflues in one set, means at tliediscliarging end of the fumace-retort forcontrolling the' u l a supply of fuel and the fiow of air to theinterior of the outer end portions ofthe com bnstioinfiues in the otherset, two transversely extending waste heat fines located about thecentral portion of the furnace, there being a waste 7 heat line for eachset of combustion fines, a' damper controlled opening between eachcombustion fiuc 015 the set at the char ing end of the 'furnace throughwhich products of combustion pass into one of said waste heat tines, anda damper controlled opening between each com vbustion fine of the set atthe discharging end of the furnace through which the products ofcombnstion pass to thejother waste heat flue, a v

4. A- furnace-retort having a longitudinally extending retort shell in'which there is means for agitating or mixing thecharge and for conveyingthe charge longitudinally along the interior of the retort front thecharging end' to 'the discharging end thereof, the furnace of thefurnace-retort having a, combustion chamber which is provided bylongitudinally extending combustion fines arranged about theretortshell, the fines being arranged in sets, the combustion fines inone set each extending along the charging end half of the retort and thecombustion fines in the other set each extending along the dischargingend halt of the retort, said combustion fines terminating :at or adacent to the central transi Verscly extending portion of the shell,means for supplying fuel and for permitting air te enter said combustionfines, the furnace having transversely extendingzwaste heat finesarranged so as tolreceive the products oicoml'n'istion i'nom saidcombustion fiues,.; and dampers regulating the openings ore )assa ev'a's' leadin from the combustiolr fines to ,he corresponding wasteheatnfines. 5.A' furnace-retort having a longitudinally extending retortshell in which there is means for agitating or mixing the charge" andfor conveying the charge-longitudi--- nally alon'gtheinterior of theretort from the chargingendto the discharging end thereof. tiny furnaceof theturnace-retmt having a combustion chamber -.comprising'longitudinally. extending combustion fines arranged aboutthe exterior ofthe retort shell. which fines are arranged in two sets the combustionfines in one set each extend: ing along the charging end portion oi? theretort and the comlginstion fines in the other set each. extending alongthe discharging end portion of the retort, said combustion finesterminating at or adjacent to the transversely extendingcentral portionof the shell, means Zor supplying fuel and for permitting a controlledamount of air to enter said combustion fines, the furnacerat/am; havingtwo transversely extending waste heat fines located at or near aidcenopenin is provided in a longitudinally extending tral port-ion eacharranged soas to receive theproducts of combustion from one of said setsof said combustion fines, each waste heat fiue having a damper foremit-rolling the g or passageway leading therefrom, each combustionfluev having a damper at the openingor passageway leading from thecon'ibustion line to the corresponding waste heatrfiue.

G. A furnace-retort the retort of which retor't shell intowhich coalis'l ed at one end ,and from whichthe coal residuum is discharged fromthe other'eml, the furnace construction being such thatv combustionfines are provided each of" which extends longitudinally from thecharging end of the, shell toward the central portion of the shell anddelivers products of combustion into a waste heat fiue arranged at thecentral portion of the shelheach of said combnstion=tlues having adamper for .con-

trolling the fiow of products of combustion from the combustion fineinto said waste ,heat fines, the furnace construction also being suchthatcombnstion fiuesare provided e-ach of which extends longitui-lma'llyfrom the discharging end of the shell toward the central portion of theshell and delivers products'ofcombustion into a waste heatflue arrangedat the central portion of the' shell, each of" said last-mentionedcombustion fines having a -da'nip'er t'or controlling the fiowofproducts-0t combustion from the combustion fiue to the waste heatfine.

v 7'. A turnace-ret'oit the retort of which is provided-1" inalongitudinally extending retort shell into which coal is fed at one endand from which the coal residuum is discharged from the other end, thefurnace construction being such that combustion fines are provided someof which extend lon-,

ggitudinally from the charg'ing end of the shell toward the centralportion of the shell and deliver products of combustion into a waste lca't f'lfuc arranged at the central portion of the shell andsome ofwhich extend longitudinally from thedischarging end of the shell towardthe central porftifon of the shell and deliver products of combustionini a to a waste heat flue ar anged at the central portion of the shell,each of said combustion fines having adaniper for controlling the flowol products of (J()I'Ill)ll5tl()l]' from the combustion fine into itswaste heat fine.

8. A furnace-retort having a longitudinally extending retort shell intoone end of which material is charged that is to be carbonized and fromthe othc end of which the residuum is dischargemjiieans at the exteriorof said shell for providing longitudinal combustion fines extending tothe central transverselyextending exterior portion of the shell andarranged in sets about the shell, there being a set oi combustion fluesfor the charging end portion of the shell and another set of combustionflues for the discharging end portion of the shell, the constructionalso being such that there is a waste heat flue provided for and commonto each set of "combustion flues, there being dampersfor controlling theflow of products of combustion from thecombustion fluesjoflongitudinally extending combustion flues] that reach the centralportion of the exterior of the-retort shell but which are arranged insets about the retort shell in such a manner that there are combustionflues for the charging end portion of the retort shell and combustionflues for the discharging end portion'thereof, the construction alsobeing such that a waste heat flue is provided for and common tothecombustion flues in each set, there being dampers for controlling theflow of products of combustion from the flues in each set.

. 10. A furnace-retort comprising in combination a longitudinallyextending retort shell surrounded by a fire-brick or strengtheningmasonry wall construction and between which said retort shell and saidwall construction there are left spaces providing.-

theleiimbustion chamber of the furnace of the'-'- mace retort," thecombustion chamber being divided into two partsby atransversely-extending rib portion surroundin thetransver'sel extendincentral portion 0" the retort she I, spaced ongitudlnallylegkarrangedabout the retort shell and extend .ing' from each end of the retortshell towardbut not to the transversely "extending rib longitudinal h ofthe retort shell a set of longitudinally extending combustion fluesresponding thereto. corresponding to that set, the furnace haw-kv 'intowaste heat flues located at the central portion of the furnace-retort,the jfurnace 3 a row of'blocksextendsalong each side of tending ribportions, in each of said partsfterial such as cardboard in said space.portion wherebpf there 1s provided for each that dischargetheir-products of'combustion into a waste heat flue that. is'between thetransversely'extending rib portion on the one'haud and the endsof thespaced longitudinally extending rib portions on the other, and dampersfor controlling the flow of productsof combustion from the combustionflues into the waste heat flue cor- M #11. A furnace-retort c'om risinga longitudinallyflextending retort s ell surrounded a fire-brick wallconstruction, between which retort shell and wall construction I thereare'spaces providing the combustion 65.

chamber of the furnace of the furnace-rd tort, the combustion chamberbeing divided 1 into two part, one art located at one end and-the otherpart ocated at the other end of thefurnace-retort, each part havingspaced ribportions arranged about the retort shell and extendinglongitudinally toward the transversely extendingcentral portion of thefurnace-retort whereby there is provided for each of said' arts a set oflongitudinally extending com ustion flues, the furnace con structionbeing such that said combustion flues discharge theirproducts ofcombustion aving dampers for controlling thel flowj of products ofcombustion from the"combus-' tion flues into said waste heatflues.

12. A furnace-retort havin a longitudi-. nally extending tubular shdllformed of 'blocksor tiles arran ed so that there is a longitudinal rowof %locks along each side of -the lower longitudinal central portionsand positioned sothat an expansion space is left between saidrows whichare adjacent to each other. I 1

13. A furnaceq'etort having a longitudinally extending tubular shellformed of car-- borundum blocks or tiles-arranged so that the lowerlongitudinal central portions, and is positioned so that an expansionspace is left between /the blocks in said rdws which rows are adjacentto each other, and\ma- This specification executed the 15 day of April1919.

' CHARLES HOWARD SMITH.

